Angel Wings
by Senashenta
Summary: A Companion is born with a distinct difference that only a select few can see, and as a result lives a somewhat lonely life... until she Feels the Calling! Can Sera find her Chosen, despite the odds against her?
1. Prelude To Life

****

Disclaimer: ...I don't own Valdemar or anything involved with Heralds or Companions, etc. They belong to Mercedes Lackey (bless her for inventing them! ^_^) and anyone else who might have a claim on them. Seraphim is a Companion, (as are Lani and Tessin, and Celeste is another character from later on...) and I made her up so I guess she does belong to me. Then again, she _is_ a Companion, so I guess she doesn't belong to me. Hm. Now I've gone and confused myself. :p 

Angel Wings

Chapter One: Prelude To Life  


I've often wondered about the Gods. How could they have thought it a good idea to create a world where not everyone is equal? Where some are born with differences that set them apart from the others of their kind? Myself, for example. I can look like the others of my kind, but I'm not the same as them. That realization looms over my head at all times, though only a few others actually know how different I really am...

And so I wonder. 

Yes, we are special. And yes, as our human partners are correct that we are closer to the Gods than they can every hope to become. We _are_ privy to little-known information, but we are not told everything. 

Just as we are secretive, so are the Gods who created us -- and for all the years that I have existed, they have not yet decided to reveal to me the secret of -- nor the meaning behind -- my existence and my startling differences. 

I've finally come to the conclusion that I may never know, as has my Mother. She is one of only three others who know about my... quirks, and she was the first to discover them. She has always been very supportive, if somewhat frightened, and protected me when I was little. Now that I'm not so little I can protect myself, thought she still worries. 

You see, we are unsure as to how the others will react when they find out about me... and so my secret is kept safe in a circle of four. Some day I may be revealed for all that I am and am not... 

I was born, as everyone is, from my Mother. I was her first child, though, so she was nervous and frightened. And for some unknown reason she was sure that she did _not_ want others present for my birth. So she wandered out into the Field and hid where she hoped no one would be able to find her. 

Thus, I was born in the Grove. 

No, no, not Grove _born_. Simply born -- from my Mother -- in the Grove. Thinking back, perhaps that is the reason behind my oddities... ah, but I digress. It was a stroke of luck that my birth was not complicated in any way, as sometimes happens with Companions. Normally a Herald is there in case something goes wrong and endangers the Mother or Foal, but Mother's stubbornness kept her far from anyone... 

I have been told that she had nearly every other Companion -- and several Heralds or Trainees who had been dragged into it as well -- on a panic-stricken search for her. As a new Mother, and since I _was_ her first child, there was worry that either one or both of us would be injured. 

We were lucky, both of us... 

When Gwena and Rolan finally found us, Mother was just standing to nudge me to my feet. Both were relieved to find us well, I'm told, and said as much to Mother, who at the time, ignored them in favor of me. 

__

:You should not have hidden!: Rolan chided gently. _:We were worried.: _

Mother payed him no heed, and I was just opening my eyes for the first time so I couldn't respond... 

__

:Tessin?: Gwena asked with a soft mental smile, _:what is her name?: _

At that, they finally received a response. Mother continued coaxing me to my feet and, without looking at them, replied; _:her name is Seraphim.:_

__

:She's beautiful.: 

:Yes,: Mother said proudly. _:She is.:_

And at that exact moment, just as I managed to get my feet under me with Mother's urging, I tripped and fell forward to sprawl on the grass in a tangled heap of gangly legs. Gwena stepped back in shock. Mother stared at me, blue eyes wide, and Rolan regarded me gravely... 

...for the instant I had landed on the ground, my sides had exploded in a mass of fine white feathers as tiny wings sprouted from my shining hide... those feathers littered the ground before the wings disappeared once again, sucking back into my shoulder blades... and they stayed there, shifting in the breeze, after the wings were gone; a testament to my differences...

__

:Well,: Rolan said seriously, _:that was most unexpected.:_


	2. Life In Itself

****

Disclaimer: ...don't own Valdemar... Heralds... Companions... anything else. I'm just writing this for fun, ne? Seraphim, Tessin and Lani are characters that I created, but since they _are_ Companions I only have a half-claim on them. Did that make any sense? 

****

Notes: This is all about Companions, ne? Well there isn't a whole lot about the Companions' society in the books, is there? I wrote them a lot like people- friends, family, elders, etc. Seraphim even has a 'crush' on another Companion. Their society, as far as my writing is concerned, is a lot like that of their Heralds. Just like white, horse-shaped humans! ^_~  


****

Angel Wings

Chapter Two: Life In Itself  


I stood and stared blankly out across the water, my mind wandering through not only Valdemar but several other countries as well. Standing in front of the lake next to Companion's Field, I let my eyes play out across the shining water. Finally, I looked down and tilted my head to the side. 

White skin and hair, silver hooves, blue eyes. Nothing unusual at all... 

__

If you didn't know, you'd think I was normal. 

...I squinted at my reflection and strained my muscles, releasing my wings. A puff of soft feathers and they appeared, staring back at me from the water. Graceful curves arched from my shoulders and spread out from my sides... 

These wings, these beautiful wings, were what kept me away from everyone else. Rolan and Gwena, when I was born, had spoken with my Mother. It was decided that the wings should be kept a secret. 

A circle of four; Rolan, Gwena, Mother and myself... and no one else knew. 

__

:Sera?: 

:Hm? Oh!: I jumped slightly, surprised when my name -- or at least the shortened form of it -- was called. My wings were still out! With a quick thought I pulled them back, and they vanished into my hide. Turning, I looked back toward the Field. _:Lani!:_

The other Companion was just coming over the horizon, having Mindcalled to me before she was in sight. _:I was looking for you!:_ She told me as she approached_, :Taeas said he saw you come over here, so-:_ she paused, _:what's wrong?:_

__

:Nothing.: 

Lani looked at me speculatively. _:Are you sure?: _

:Oh, yes.: I assured her, _:I was just thinking. Lani, have Companions always been the same?: _

:What do you mean?: 

I looked back out at the glassy surface of the lake as she stopped to stand beside me, _:have we always been this way? I mean white with silver hooves and blue eyes. Have we ever been any other way? Colors or... other things?: _

:Other things?: Lani sounded confused; _:not to my knowledge, why?: _

:No reason. I was just wondering.: 

__

:Oh.: She paused. _:I actually came to tell you that three went out on their Choosing Journeys today. THREE!:_

__

:Really?: I asked, interested. Neither Lani nor I were quite old enough to go out on our own Choosing Journeys, and as young Companions we both found the idea fascinating. Besides that, three Companions leaving in one day was nearly unheard of. _:Who was it?:_

__

:Sinca, Phoeley and Bristal. They all showed up at the stables this morning and left just after dawn.: 

:Bristal left-? He's barely older than us!: 

:Hm.: Lani agreed, _:I know. Rolan is worried.: _

:I'm sure he is.: 

And he would have had reason to be; Choosing Journeys were normally few-and-far-between. But in the last few days there had been more and more Companions leaving to find their Chosen humans. In the past, so many Choosings in such a short time had heralded wars... Companions were replacing those who would be lost in the battles to come. Hence Rolan being worried. 

Was that happening again? 

__

:...Sera?: Suddenly Lani sounded hesitant. _:...about the Choosing Journeys...:_

__

:What about them?: 

:I think...: She paused, considering, then; _:I think my time is coming, too.:_

__

:What-?: I blinked. She didn't mean... _:Lani-:_

__

:I can feel it, in my heart. It's hard to describe. I think-: Lani sighed, _:I think I'm going to be leaving soon.:_

I was shocked; Lani and I weren't old enough to go out Choosing yet! Bristal was barely old enough. It couldn't be happening this soon, could it? Choosing Journeys were sometimes dangerous... she could get hurt. And Lani... she was my best friend... one of my only friends. If she left then I would be on my own... 

__

Not that I haven't been on my own for my whole life, but- 

I shook my head, _:Lani! You can't-:_

__

:I know, Sera, but it's not as if I have a choice in the matter.: 

No choice? Oh yes, an irony to the Choosing Journeys; it may be called Choosing, but in reality, as Lani had stated, there was no choice. I had been told about it many times by Mother -- a strange feeling in your heart, like someone calling from far away. And then you know, you just _know _where you have to go. Far away or near to you, either way, you go to where your heart and mind is telling you. The Calling is something you can't ignore... 

Mother's story of her own Calling and Choosing Inis is something I'd often thought about. I spent a lot of time -- when not pondering my own existence -- wondering what my own Calling would be like. 

...I wasn't even sure that I _would_ be Called. My differences made me think it might not happen at all... 

__

:Lani...: 

Lani flicked an ear, _:I just... thought you should know before I leave.:_

__

:But -- if you go, then... I'll be alone...: 

She nudged my side comfortingly, _:Sera! No, you won't! Anyone from the Herd is perfectly willing to be your friend. You could have friends to last a lifetime... but you're so distant... we've been friends for a long time, right? Sera, tell me before I leave. What is it that you're afraid of?:_

__

:I can't tell you, Lani.: 

:You keep telling me that.: 

:And I really mean it. I can't.: 

:Why?: 

__

:...Rolan won't let me.: I whispered, then shook my head at her startled blink. _:I just can't. Sorry.:_

I'd known Lani for my whole life, practically since I was born, but even she didn't know about me. Sometimes I wished I could tell her. I wished she could understand, but I didn't know for sure what she would say, and I couldn't take that chance... Companions are supposed to be nearly ethereal beings, understanding and loving beyond compare, but even we can be fickle sometimes... 

I just couldn't take the chance. 

__

:When do you think you'll be going?: I asked softly. 

Lani shook her head, her mane ruffling; _:I'm not sure. Not today, and probably not tomorrow, but....soon after that for sure. That's all I can tell right now.: _She lipped my neck, _:I'm sorry, Sera. I know you don't want me to go...: _she paused, then added, her eyes twinkling and a distinct hint of amusement in her Voice;_ :besides, you'll always have HIM.: _

If I could have blushed, I would have. Instead, my hide twitched. 

Him. 

Meriol. 

The only other Companion in the Field that I was willing to get close to, emotionally. Another of my friends. And, the Companion that I yearned for. He was tall and muscular; his neck curved in a graceful, handsome way. His eyes sparkled mischievously when he spoke. He was lovely. Kind. Giving. He cared for me. He was everything I could have wanted in a perspective love interest... 

I wanted him to be more than just another of my friends... 

But he didn't know. Of _course_ he didn't know. How could I tell him, when he didn't even know about the differences between us? 

__

:Hm. Stop that, Lani.: I turned my head away, _:it's none of your business, anyway.:_

__

:Isn't it?: Lani chuckled, _:I see you pining for him all the time! Just tell him how you feel and be done with it!: _

:Lani!: 

:What?: She shrugged, just a ripple of her silver hide, _:anyhow,: a glance at the sky and then; :it's almost time for the Race. Come on or we'll be late!:_

The Races. Another thing that I shouldn't participate in... the exhilaration of the race, the wind whipping past me, the fierce competition... it was too much sometimes... it made my wings ache to be released from beneath my skin...

I shouldn't participate. If I lost control... 

But how I loved to run. 

__

:Yeah.: I agreed, turning around, _:let's go!: _


	3. Forward Of Choosing

****

Disclaimer: I still don't own Valdemar or anything involved in it....Heralds, Companions....anything else....also, I don't own the rest of that respective world. ^_^ Yay for not getting sued. 

****

Notes: Ai! Writing from a Companion's POV is so haaaard! I didn't think it would be as hard as it's turning out to be, but... yeah. Everyone seems to be liking it so far, though, so I'm going to try to finish it. 

****

BTW: if anyone happens to want to use any of my characters (Companions, mostly, that I've made up, or their Heralds) just ask and there's no problem. I'd just like to know where my characters are going. But if anyone likes my characters enough to want to borrow them, I really don't mind! ^_^   


****

Angel Wings

Chapter Three: Forward Of Choosing  


Imagine this, if you will; you are yourself, naturally. You're sentient, you're intelligent, you're a _person_, inside if not out. And you live out your life in a field, surrounded by grass and only able to watch a limited section of the world outside; you have no plays, no theater of any kind and no books. You've already discussed anything worth discussing, and there's nothing else happening at the moment that's particularly interesting. 

Now pick one word to describe your existence. 

I'll take a guess which word you picked. It's the same for most people who have that question asked of them. Just one word for all that? The word, more often than not, is 'boring'. It's the word that I would choose, anyway... 

Hence the Races. 

__

:Your only competition is Yeo.: Lani told me_. :I KNOW you can beat any of the others who're competing this time.: _

:Are you kidding? Have you even seen Guardell? He runs like his tail is on fire!: 

:No way!: A snort_, :of COURSE I've seen him run; Guardell uses up all his speed right at the beginning and lags at the end of the Race. If you keep yourself paced you should be able to pass him after the first leg.:_

__

:If you say so.: I shrugged mentally, but had to admit that Lani was probably right; with what I'd seen of Guardell's running, she had just stated exactly what he would do. Besides that, Lani had only participated in one or two of the Races, to my knowledge. After that she had contented herself with watching the runners, so she would be the one to know. Lani had always been the analyzing type. _:Is Meriol running today?:_

__

:I don't think so...: she said slowly, _:it seems to me that he's sitting this one out.:_

__

:Oh.: 

I really didn't mind, despite that I may have sounded disappointed. No, I preferred not having to compete against him; I was already constantly worried about doing something to embarrass either myself or Meriol. If he ran and I won, he might think himself less than me... if he ran and _he_ won, I would be embarrassed beyond belief. 

__

-because even though I'm in love with him doesn't mean he's a better Racer than me. I KNOW I'm a faster runner than him. If he beat me I'd want to crawl under the trees of the Grove and die. 

But if Meriol simply _watched _the Race, I could almost guarantee that he'd be cheering me on, and I could handle that. 

I had competed in my first Race when I was only two years old; fairly young by Human standards, but I was an adult by Companion's. And it may have had something to do with my wings... or maybe there was something else about me... but I had excelled at it. I had won -- not by a nose, but by at least a body length or more -- on my first try, which was unheard of. 

And I had continued to Race from that day on, every Race I could possibly have participated in. Every single one. Including the one Lani and I were about to arrive at. Of course... as the reigning champion, I _had_ to defend my position. 

Not that I minded at all... 

__

:Sera! Lani!: 

I knew that Mindvoice. Very, very well. 

__

:I told them you'd be here!: Meriol chuckled as he cantered up to us, _:you sure took your time about it, though. Even Tessin was starting to doubt that you'd show, and she's your Mother, Sera! I thought you were going to GET her, Lani, not keep her to yourself.: _

:Jerk.: 

:Oh, so now you've resorted to childish name-calling?: 

__

:Bloody right.: Lani replied brightly, then looked toward the sidelines_, :in any case, I'm going to stake out a place near the finish line so I can usher Sera in when she wins. Again. What about you, Meriol?:_

Meriol pretended to consider, then; _:I SUPPOSE I could go and cheer for her with you I just wish it wouldn't take up so much of my precious time...: _

I glared at him. _:You're right Lani, he IS a jerk.:_

__

:Told you.: 

He snorted softly, _:Sera, I'm hurt.:_

__

:No you're not.: I retorted. 

__

:You're right. I'm not.: A chuckle and he turned to follow Lani, who was standing near the fence on the outskirts of Companion's Field. _:Good luck Sera,: he called back, :not that you need it... though you would if you were Racing ME...: _

:Sure, Meriol- keep telling yourself that!: 

:Race me again sometime and you'll see.: 

:A challenge?: 

He chuckled, _:sure, why not?:_

A joke, right? He knew he couldn't beat me. Ah, but Meriol's sense of humor has always been somewhat off. Or maybe he was serious for once? Maybe. If it was true and he really wanted to Race, no way I'd turn him down. No way. 

__

I'll whoop him good. 

Pacing over to the front lines, I quickly surveyed the competition. Several younger Companions, possibly hoping to prove themselves through the Race, were there; Yeo and Guardell were as well, as Lani had said, and from the way Guardell's eyes were glinting I could already tell he was going to jump start at the beginning and use up his energy quickly. Yeo had always been a more restrained Racer, and in the past handful of Races, had been my only competition besides Guardell. But with what Lani had predicted and what I was seeing from them already, Guardell would be no problem this time. 

So I'd have to focus on Yeo. 

No problems there. 

From near where my Mother was standing -- a few feet from Lani and Meriol -- Rolan walked over to stand before myself and the rest of the Racers. The Queen's Own Companion had begun to judge the Races before I could remember; before I had started Racing, anyway. He did it because, as a Grove Born Companion, he couldn't compete. Or, he could, but chose not to as both he and Gwena (who also didn't Race, and instead Chose to assist in Judging the Races) had more speed and endurance than any other Companions in the Field... 

...except maybe for me. 

__

:You all know the rules,: Rolan called_, :-the Race runs from here to the opposite end of the Field and back again. When you reach the other side of the Field, you touch the fence with your nose. The first Companion to reach the starting line again, after touching the fence, wins.: _

The rules were simple, and almost never changed. The only time I could remember them _having_ changed was during a grief period when I was younger; the fence had been torn down to be replaced with a new one, and so we couldn't touch it before returning, obviously. But Rolan and Gwena, being innovative as they were, had gotten willing Companions to stand at the opposite end of the Field. Instead of touching the fence, we tagged the Companion who was standing opposite from us and then returned... 

__

:ON YOUR MARK!: Rolan began. 

I tensed, readying myself for the Race. 

__

:-GET SET-: 

:Go Sera!: Lani called to me. _:You can do it!:_

And I chuckled mentally when Meriol chided; _:dummy. She always DOES, doesn't she?: _

:-GO!: 

I launched away from the starting line, my hooves digging up chunks of grass as I leapt. Next to me, the others who were Racing had done the same thing... as predicted, Guardell raced ahead of us as we made our way across the field en-mass, simply blurs of silver-white. Yeo and I kept pace, neck-and-neck as the younger Companions struggled to pass us, so simply to keep up. 

I felt bad for them, really. They were only Racing to prove themselves, as opposed to myself. Racing was bliss for me... the wind rushing past me... my mane flying, my tail flagged... the thunder of my hooves on the grass of the Field... 

I tilted my head upward, loving the feel of the wind in my mane. 

My eyes half-closed... 

Yeo vanished from my thoughts... 

My hooves hit the ground lightly to come up again a second later... 

I was practically flying... 

A twinging in my shoulders jerked me back to the current situation. 

__

No! 

My shoulder muscles stretched as my wings pushed to be released. I should have expected this! I should have known! But... the ache to let the magnificent appendages out from beneath my hide had never been so strong before. 

I concentrated on holding them in- 

-and stumbled. 

Next to me, Yeo's eyes showed surprise for only a second before she took advantage of my slip and brushed past me. A part of my mind cursed, but I couldn't take the time to worry about the Race right then; if my wings opened right then and there... 

__

:No!: I shrieked again, mentally. Surely someone had noticed me shout, but they would most likely have assumed it was because I wasn't winning the Race anymore. _No. _I thought with a mental snarl at the wings;_ not now! You are not- _

The twinging of muscles stopped and I thanked the Gods that I wouldn't have to deal with that as _well_ as Yeo, who was _yward_ ahead of me... she had caught up to Guardell, who was slowing, and passed him already. 

__

I am – not -- going to lose! No way! 

Bunching my muscles, I slowed just long enough to ready a burst of speed. And then- 

-I passed Guardell- 

-I passed any of the younger Companions who were ahead of me- 

-I came up on Yeo's tail- 

...we reached the other side of the Field at approximately the same time, both of us skidding to a stop and 'tagging' the fence -- in full view of Gwena, who was judging the touches -- before whirling around and flying back the way we had come; we passed a startled Guardell on the way back... 

And my wings began to twinge again. 

__

:Shimatta!: 

Even as I set about controlling my wings -- which seemed to have a mind of their own -- we were nearing the starting line again. Those who had stayed behind were prancing in excitement; there hadn't been a race that was this close in some time. 

My wings strained under my skin. 

Yeo stretched her neck, trying to pull ahead of me. 

I pushed back against my wings, shoving them into their hiding place and holding them there, then concentrated once more on the Race... Yeo and I were the only ones left, now... there was no more competition... 

Both of us lengthened our strides... 

...and a sudden wave of blackness washed over me, leaving me all but blind. 

With a startled cry I stumbled and fell, tumbling through the grass to land on my side. Taking heaving breaths, I attempted to blink my eyes back into commission... Mindvoices clambered at me... Lani... Meriol... Mother... 

__

:Sera! Sera!: 

...white-blonde hair... 

__

:Oh, Sera! Come on! Answer me!: 

...bright blue eyes... 

__

:Seraphim!: 

What was I seeing? A Human... a human girl... young, blonde... blue eyes... 

My vision cleared and I blinked a handful of times, then turned my head to look at those who were crowded around me. My friends; Lani and Meriol. I had recognized their voices through the din. Mother, as well. And Rolan. Also several other Companions, and I thought I could hear the sound of approaching Human footsteps. 

Someone must have Called their Chosen when I fell. 

__

:Sera?: Lani asked worriedly as I began to climb to my feet shakily; _:are you okay? What happened?: _

I was silent, contemplating. The tug at my heart was undeniable. 

Meriol nudged my side, _:Sera?:_

__

:Lani...: I said somberly, looking at my friend,_ :you said you might be going on your Choosing Journey soon, but... I think I'm going to go sooner.: _


	4. Forbidden Calling

Okay everyone, I just want to apologize in advance for the shortness of this chapter. It's kind of a half-explanation, and a little insight into Seraphim's character, as well as Lani, Meriol & Tessin. Yeah. Thanks for the reviews! I'm glad everyone likes it! (I'm gonna' keep writing because if it, even though writing from a Companion's point-of-view is INCREDIBLY hard!) 

Anyway, as always I don't own Valdemar or any of the inhabitants of Valdemar, or any of the surrounding countries. I guess I claim credit for any original characters, but that's it, ne? If you wanna use any of my original characters; Seraphim (read the story to find out what happens before writing about her, if you want to)....Lani....Meriol....Tessin....Celeste (she appears later on)....Guardell or Yeo (they're only in Angel Wings for a bit, but I'd like a story about Yeo. Does someone want to write about her??)....any other original characters....anyhow, you get the idea, right?   
  


~Angel Wings~

~Forbidden Calling~

  
  


:No.: 

:What?: 

:No.: Mother repeated, stamping a front hoof against the grass. :Just NO!: 

:You-: I blinked several times, trying to understand where she was coming from. She was saying no? She was saying no. She couldn't say no....could she? :Mother, it's not up to you! You've told me hundreds of times about how you can't ignore your Calling- a-about how you traveled to find Inis when you were Called....how can you tell me....I have to-: 

:No!: She shook her mane in emphasis; :it's different for you.: 

I stared. She's forbidding me to go on my CHOOSING JOURNEY?! 

The argument had begun shortly after my blackout; I stood up, shook myself awake, announced that I Felt the Calling, and Mother started into me. The others who had originally crowded around had dispersed with the exception of Mother, Gwena and Rolan. Lani and Meriol, good friends as they were, had even left; Rolan had chased them away. 

I got the feeling I was in for a 'talk'. 

....and Mother was saying I couldn't go on my Choosing Journey. She was adamantly FORBIDDING me to go! I was torn between shock, anger, and outrage; the Calling inside of me was pulling me in several directions at once....the strongest of which was in the direction of a bordering country.... 

I was horribly confused. 

Anger.... 

Shock.... 

Outrage.... 

Anger? Shock? Outrage? 

Anger won. 

:NO?: I shrieked, digging my hooves into the ground. I glared at her and snorted, gritting my molars together almost audibly. Gwena winced at the tone in my Voice and Rolan's nose twitched. Mother blinked in shock. :NO?! You can't tell me no! It's MY CHOOSING JOURNEY, damn you! THERE IS NO CHOICE, HERE-!: 

:Seraphim-!: 

:NO, Mother!: I snapped, my Voice dying down to a harsh whisper. :I'm old enough to take care of myself now! I can Feel the soul I'm supposed to Choose. I can FEEL it....: I trailed off, inspecting the odd sensations inside of myself. :There's danger, Mother. There's danger and....I have to....I'm going. Wings or no wings, I'm going.: 

There was a long silence from Mother, and both Gwena and Rolan waited for her response before making one of their own. 

:S-Seraphim, I'm just-: 

:Just what, Mother? Just trying to keep me from my Choice?: 

:I just want-: 

:Tell me, Mother,: I sighed, :if someone had said you couldn't go when you were Called, would you have listened to them? Mother? Would you have given up Inis?: 

:I-: she stopped, suddenly, then; :no. Sera, no, I wouldn't. Not for anything. I would have walked through the Nine Hells to find him in the first place. No one could have kept me from him.: 

:Exactly.: I nodded. :Exactly.: 

Mother didn't say anything more. She stood for a moment, staring down at the grass, and then- without a word and with her eyes turned downward- turned and walked away. Her tail swayed behind her, and I had never seen her look so despondent.... 

I felt badly, really. I had never been in a fight with Mother before, and I hoped to never fight with her again. But....there was no way I was letting her keep me from my Choice. There was NO WAY. Now I knew....I knew what she had meant- what everyone had meant- when they had told me about the Calling. There was no denying it. The pull at my heart and soul was too great to ignore.... 

:Seraphim.: Rolan said sternly, interrupting my thoughts, :you know the dangers of going out to Choose....: 

I nodded. I did know. But what-? 

:-before you go,: Gwena added, picking up after Rolan trailed off, :....Rolan and I have decided that we want you to speak with someone. We decided a long time ago, actually, that should your Calling arrive we wished you to speak with her....: 

:Who?: I wondered. 

Gwena paused, and Rolan said; :Elspeth.: 

:We want you to speak with my Chosen.: 

I was surprised. Gwena's Chosen? Why? 

:Wh-: 

:We have some....ideas that she will be able to explain. Also, I believe that she should check your wings for magic.: Gwena interrupted me, :this would mean not only Speaking with her, but showing her your wings....: 

My confusion must have been evident, as both of them chuckled mentally. 

:But you always told me not to show anyone my-: 

Rolan mentally shrugged off the last of my sentence. :We....will allow you to go on your Choosing Journey, but only should you consent to speaking with Elspeth- and possibly Darkwind, who knows more about the Changeling Magic than anyone we can think of.: 

:Changeling Magic? What does that have to do with-?: 

:Will you meet with her?: Gwena asked. 

I had always been told to never under ANY circumstances show my wings to anyone; when I was little, I hadn't understood why. But as I grew older, I came to understand the importance of hiding my differences from the other Companions. They wouldn't have understood....and as I couldn't show the other Companions, I had taken it for granted that I couldn't show any Humans- even the Heralds. And now they were telling me to give away my biggest secret.... 

I know that Elspeth is trustworthy, but.... 

The paranoia about my wings was hard to let go of.... 

....but how could I not meet with Gwena's Chosen? She and Rolan wouldn't let me leave on my Choosing Journey if I didn't.... 

:Seraphim, you said you sensed danger?: Gwena asked, :would you care to explain that to us?: 

:Hm?: I wasn't expecting the question and it took me a moment to form an answer. :It's just that,: I told her, :I sense....danger....I think the soul I'm destined to be with is in danger....I'm afraid of what might happen is I don't hurry to Karse.: 

:Karse?: Rolan demanded sharply; :your Calling is directing you to Karse?: 

:I think, yes.: 

:Oh my.: Gwena sighed. 

:What? We're on friendly terms with Karse now-: 

:Yes, now we are.: Rolan agreed thoughtfully, :but that doesn't mean that Companions and Heralds are welcomed openly in the country....especially in the bordering towns, there is no tolerance of we- White Devils, as they refer to us.: 

:Those in the capitol know of the changes,: Gwena explained, :but the less-educated populace is still largely unaware. Also, the Priests still will not accept that we are anything less than Demons.: 

I was taken aback. :What do I do?: 

:First,: Gwena sighed, sounding worried; :you really need to talk to Elspeth.: 


	5. Changeling Magic

I don't own Heralds, Valdemar, Companions....the only thing I can claim in this story as my own are the personalities of the characters themselves. I'm just going to mention Seraphim and Lani this time, 'cause Sera and Lani are the two character who've been developed at all at this point. I guess I own their personalities, but since they're Companions....jeez, this is complicated.... 

Okay, so I took a little time in between the last chapter and this one....sorry, but I have a bunch of other fics on the go right now so I'm working on them as well. Anyway, here's the next chapter of "Angel Wings". Sorry to anyone who's been waiting!   
  


~Angel Wings~

~Changeling Magic~

  
  


I fidgeted, swishing my tail in agitation; it was a habit I had acquired years ago and never really gotten over. I stamped a hoof lightly against the grass. I flicked my forelock out of my eyes, only to have it fall back again. I tossed my mane over to the opposite side of my neck. My eyes traveled around the Grove. Trees, leaves, twigs, grass.... I sighed, blowing my breath out in a huff. My tail swished again. 

Okay, so I was nervous. 

But in all honesty, wouldn't you be, too? I was about to meet with one of the most powerful Herald-Mages in Valdemar, and both Gwena and Rolan expected me to not only Mindspeak her, but show her my wings, which was something I'd had practically beaten into me that I NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES do. 

Plus, I'd been standing there for a while, and I never liked to be kept waiting. 

It was damned annoying, to my way of thinking. 

:Seraphim, are you in there?: 

Gwena's Voice. 

Finally! 

I nodded mentally. :Of course. Where else would I be?: 

:Good. We're coming in.: 

:Oh joy.: 

Rustling followed Gwena's announcement and she appeared through the trees, her Chosen at her side. A man that I recognized as Darkwind was following them, a few feet back, and on his shoulder sat what I had to assume was his Bondbird. Vree? Hm. Yes, I thought I recalled that being it's name. 

His. I corrected myself silently, Darkwind's bird is a him. 

Where had I heard that? From Lani? No, Lani had very little to do with any humans who didn't groom her. She wasn't antisocial, she just preferred the company of other Companions. Of course, that would change when she went off on her Choosing Journey....but if it wasn't Lani, who had I heard it from? Meriol? Mother? Maybe.... 

Ah, it didn't matter. What MATTERED was that I was standing in the middle of the Grove- THE Grove- watching these two humans, a Herald-Mage who had at one time been Valdemar's heir, and her lover, the man who had helped to bring True Magic back to our country....the people who, along with a few others, had killed Ancar and driven his forces back from our borders.... 

I was a little in awe. 

I shook myself slightly, bringing my mind back to where it should be. They're just people. I chided myself, don't stand there with your eyes bugging out or they'll think you're mentally unbalanced. 

If Lani had been there she would have said 'they'd be right'. 

Damn her and her sense of humor. 

"Seraphim, I presume?" 

:Huh?: I blinked and looked at Elspeth. :Um....yes. But-: 

:Sera?: Gwena's Mind tapped mine. :If you're going to talk to them, you can't Shield your Voice.: 

:Shield my-: 

Oh yeah. I had forgotten to take my Shields down. They couldn't Hear me if I didn't. I must have been more flustered by the whole situation than I first thought. In front of me, Gwena nickered softly, the Companion version of a giggle (to which Elspeth gave her a somewhat-confused look) and I had to stop myself for glaring. Not that glaring would have done any good.... 

I took my Shields down with a suffering sigh and began anew. 

:I'm Seraphim, yes.: I confirmed, :but I go by Sera. It's a pleasure to meet you, Lady Elspeth, Master Darkwind.: 

Whoa. When had I snapped into formal mode? 

Gwena was giggling again. 

"Such formalities-" Darkwind chuckled. 

"-are not needed." Elspeth shook her head, "just Elspeth and Darkwind are fine. I gave up the titles and-" a pause then; "MOST of the formality when I renounced the throne." She shrugged, "in any case, it's nice to meet you, too, Sera." 

:Vree too!: Darkwind's bird cocked it's head to the side and regarded me with one piercing eye, then bobbed it's head twice. A greeting? I was a little surprised, I must say. :Nice meet!: 

:Um, it's nice to meet you too. I guess.: 

:Pretty horse.: 

My natural response was 'I'm NOT a HORSE!' but I could tell by the simple sentences that Vree had much the same mental capacity as a young human child- or, for that matter, a young Companion foal. I settled for something that I was sure he would be able to understand, even while both Darkwind and Elspeth (not to mention Gwena, who hadn't stopped laughing to herself ever since the first giggle, and, in my opinion, was being VERY juvenile about the whole thing) watched our interplay with amusement. 

:Thanks.: 

Vree looked supremely pleased with himself. :All good.: 

Darkwind reached a hand up to scratch Vree's breast feathers. 

:Good.: The bird repeated, looking at him expectantly. :Hunt now?: 

"Not now." Darkwind shook his head, "later." 

I hadn't known that Bondbirds would whine, but that was precisely what Vree did before fluttering his wings in a shrug and suggesting something else to pass the time. :Bother Aya?: His Voice had taken on a mischievous tone that made Darkwind chuckle. 

"I suppose." The man nodded to his excited friend. "Go." And then, looking straight into Vree's golden eyes; "meet back home." 

If Vree could have shouted 'yay!' I don't doubt he would have done just that. Instead he made a happy chirping noise and hopped down Darkwind's arm to his wrist, then winged away through the clearing to disappear, after his bondmate had given him a shove into the air. 

"Now," Elspeth sighed, turning back to me. "Where were we?" 

:Ahem.: Gwena mentally cleared her throat. :I told you that Sera has something to show you that may seem....odd....Rolan and I wanted the two of you to see before she leaves on her Choosing Journey. We thought that you would be best able to explain it.: 

"It?" 

:Go on Sera.: 

Well, this was it. My heart pounded. What if they saw my wings, thought I was a Demon, and struck me down right then and there? They were Mages, they could do it, right? Not likely. Even though I couldn't stop myself from thinking it, I knew it wasn't going to happen. Mages they were, yes, but they- or Elspeth, at least, was a Herald. Heralds simply did NOT do things like that. 

....did they? 

Of course not. 

A took a deep breath, closed my eyes, and strained the muscles in my shoulders. 

A flash of white, a puff of soft feathers. 

My wings were out in all their glory. 

My eyes were still closed and I listened carefully. 

Silence. 

:Sera, it's okay. You can open your eyes, you know.: 

It was clear by Gwena's tone of voice that she thought I was being silly. So? I was allowed. This was the single most important moment in my life so far- excluding my actual BIRTH and the Calling. Okay, it was actually the third most important moment in my life.... 

I cracked my eyes open. 

Gwena was looking at her Chosen expectantly. Elspeth, however, was ignoring her. Both herself and Darkwind were staring, wide-eyed, at my wings. Speechlessness appeared to be going around, as both of them attempted to say something and found themselves without words for a long moment or two. 

:Well-?: 

Elspeth took a step forward, one hand raised in front of her. "By the Bright Lady...." 

:This is what Rolan and I wanted you to see.: 

"I can see now what you meant by 'odd'." Darkwind's voice was low. "Though, that single word fails to capture the- complexity- of what I'm currently feeling. Elspeth-" his eyes went to her, "-is there not a Valdemarian legend-?" 

"Hm." Elspeth nodded slightly in agreement. "Windrider." 

I blinked. Why didn't I know that they were talking about? I thought I'd known all of Valdemar's legends, but that particular one wasn't familiar to me. Maybe I should have paid more attention to the Elders when they were lecturing me on history, but I was pretty young at the time....how could I have known? 

:That's precisely what Rolan and I were thinking.: Gwena told Elspeth, :but we wanted Darkwind to be here to check for Changeling Magic, in case it turns out to be something in that train of thought. Darkwind-?: 

Darkwind nodded and looked at me closely. 

I had to assume he was using his MageSight on me, and to tell you the truth, it kind of creeped me out; it was silly, I know, but somehow it felt like he was looking INSIDE me as opposed to AT me. Like it was possible to actually peer into another creature's soul? I knew it wasn't possible. Or, I knew it wasn't LIKELY. 

"Nothing." A long minute later he sighed. "Or, nothing along the lines of Changeling Magic." He frowned, thinking; "however the aura surrounding Sera is more than the aura surrounding a normal Companion. Her shine rivals yours, Gwena." 

:What?: Gwena seemed taken aback, :but only myself and Rolan have a shine like that, and we're both Grove Born. How can Sera have the same aura and I do? She's NOT Grove Born, I can tell you that for sure.: 

:Because you were there?: I asked softly. 

:Exactly.: 

"Well...." Elspeth seemed to have snapped out of her stupor and was considering the options. "Gwena- and before I ask this, don't tell me that you can't say anything, because I know that you CAN- tell me if Companions can be reborn; reincarnated, I mean." 

Gwena heaved a sigh, :yes.: 

The former-heir turned to me. "Do you know the story of Windrider?" 

:Unfortunately, no.: I replied, folding my wings back against my sides. :I don't.: 

Elspeth watched loose feathers from my- oddities- float across the grass, though there was no wind. That had always confounded me; how could the feathers that my wings shed be continually shifting in the wind, even when there was none? They seemed to have a magic of their own, in a small way. If you looked at them closely, you might notice that the tufts of white never REALLY touched the ground at all, but floated a minute way above it.... 

"The actual tale of Windrider is shrouded in mystery and is very vague. All that's really known about him is that he was Companion to the Valdemar's heir." Elspeth pressed her lips into a thin line. "He had the same type of wings that you have now, Sera, or so the story goes. Windrider is the one on Valdemar's crest, actually. His wings represent freedom to all the peoples." 

:What does that have to do with me, though?: 

"If, as Gwena says, Companions can be reborn," Darkwind spoke up; "is it not possible that he has been reborn in you?" 

:In ME?: 

:You sound surprised.: Gwena observed with a snort. :But this is what Rolan and I thought might have been the case. We discussed it with Tessin at the time of your birth-: 

:-and because you didn't know WHY he had been reincarnated in me, you decided to keep my wings a secret?: I guessed. :Then why NOW did you want me to show them?: 

:Because,: a sigh, :because when you were born- because of your wings and the possibility of you being Windrider reborn- we thought the chances of you ever being Called were slim to none. But then during the Race....: 

"You've been Called?" 

:Yes. She says to Karse....: 

"Karse...." Elspeth mused, frowning, "if you've been called to Karse, there could be trouble." 

:That's what I said.: 

"What are you going to do?" 

:What am I going to DO?!: I demanded, :are you KIDDING? I'm going to GO, of course! I already went through this with Mother and I'll tell all of you what I told her! There is no way in the nine hells that I'm going to let ANYBODY keep me from my Calling! Wings or not, there's no way I'm going to let you keep me from the person destined to be my Chosen-: 

"Whoa, whoa!" Elspeth raised her hands, interrupting my little tirade. "I never said you couldn't go." 

I paused, realizing that she was telling the truth. She had never actually said I couldn't go. I had just assumed....oh man. How could I have just started ranting like that? My hide twitched in embarrassment. 

:I'm sorry.: I sighed, my Mindvoice meek; :it's just that everyone seems to think that I shouldn't go, and I can just TELL the soul that I'm feeling is in danger....not mortal danger yet....but....it could be....it's hard to explain.: 

Elspeth chuckled. "I don't pretend to understand the workings of a Companion's mind." She admitted, "but if you say you have to go, I believe you." 

She believed me! She was going to let me go! It was more than Mother had done.... 

No. I thought to myself; it's not Mother's fault. She's just worried about me. 

:I told you before that we weren't going to stop you from leaving on your Choosing Journey.: Gwena reminded me. :Or, Rolan and I weren't. We just wanted you to talk to Elspeth first, and Darkwind, and get their opinion on the situation.: 

:Yeah....: 

"In my opinion," Darkwind said, crossing his arms. "Fate can't be stopped. If Sera has been Called to her Choosing, then there's nothing we can do about it. However-" he held up a hand before I could say anything. "You should be CAREFUL." 

Well, duh. I already knew that. I'd been being careful about my wings for my whole life, there was no reason for me to stop now. But he was just giving his opinion of things, and I couldn't say anything. Everyone was entitled, after all. 

:I can go?: 

"Of course." Elspeth nodded, "but as before, ESPECIALLY in Karse, do NOT show your wings. The Karsites- or at least the general population- already believe Heralds and Companions to be Demons. If they were to see a 'Demon Horse' with wings- with the ability to FLY, there would be a distinctly BAD reaction." 

:That's basically what we told her.: Gwena sighed. :That's your advice?: 

"What more can we do?" She looked at her Companion, "until we know WHY Sera was born with wings, we can't just expect her to put her life on hold. Maybe some day the reason she was- or at least seems to have been- reincarnated from Windrider will come out." 

Darkwind nodded in agreement. 

:Maybe.: Gwena was less-than-agreeing but not actually DISAGREEING. :I suppose.: 

:SO I CAN GO?: 

I was getting quite impatient by that time. Their talk was just taking up time I could have been searching for my Chosen, and I wasn't about to let them banter forever. The longer I waited before leaving for my Journey, the closer the danger came to that soul I was feeling. I didn't mean to shout, but it was frustrating as hell. 

"Yes." Elspeth agreed. "You can go." 

:Finally!: I quickly retrieved my wings and they vanished back to under my skin with a singe thought. Immediately, I turned to leave. A mental nudge from Gwena made me pause, though, and I silently kicked myself. Turning back, I addressed Elspeth and Darkwind. :Thank you for all your help. I really do appreciate it, but I have to GO-: 

"Of course." A nod. 

I spun on my heel again and started in the direction of the stables. There was no time to lose, if I was to reach that soul in time. Were all Callings this desperate? Well, not desperate, really, but urgent. Though I got the feeling that before I reached he or she I was Feeling, the tide would turn to desperate.... 

....did I even have time to say goodbye to Lani? Mother? Meriol.... 

I'd deal with that once I was ready to leave. 

I could feel eyes on me as I cantered away, and instinctively knew it was Darkwind. The gaze on my Felt much the same as when he was been inspecting me with his MageSight; this time it wasn't strange, though. Instead it felt kind. 

:Zhai'helleva, Seraphim.: His Mindvoice called after me. :Wind to thy wings.:   
  


______________   
  


Me: ^_^ Sorry it took so long for another chapter, but I have a bunch of stories on the go right now. Anyway, that's chapter five. I think I spelled 'zhai'helleva' right, but if I didn't I'm sorry. So....ja! 


	6. Three Of Silver

La, la, la....I don't own pretty much anything in this story. All the creatures and places and most of the characters belong to Mercedes Lackey (bless her for creating them!) I kind of claim credit for Seraphim and the other original characters, but not for the idea of Companions, etc. See? 

....man, this chapter is even more pointless than ususal. :p Sorry. The next chapter should be better. 

Wow! Thanks so much for the support! When I first started writing "Angel Wings" I didn't think it would go over so well! ^_^ It's great. I'm so happy that everyone likes it. Anyhow, here's the next chapter!   
  


~Angel Wings~

~Three Of Silver~

  
  


:Well, you look pretty good in that.: 

:I know.: I replied, turning my head to look in the direction of the door. Lani and Meriol were standing, crowded in the entrance and watching as the Stable Hand- who's name, he'd told me, was Micca- continued to prepare me for my Journey. My tail swished in agitation. :But if you hadn't said it I probably wouldn't have talked to you for a month.: 

:Or at least a candlemark.: Meriol agreed, :which is why Lani mentioned it.: 

:Thanks.: 

:No problem.: 

I had never used my formal tack before. To be honest, I had never used my tack at ALL. But I didn't have a Chosen yet, so I had to reason to use it. Now, I waited only semi-patiently for poor Micca to finish so that I could leave....could he TAKE any longer? No, no. It wasn't his fault. He was doing his best. It was just that.... 

Damn it, I need to get to Karse! 

:Sera, he's almost done, you know.: 

I glared at Lani. :Well duh.: 

:My, my, SOMEONE's in a bad mood today.: 

A sigh. :Sorry, it's just that I'm in a hurry.: 

Lani and Meriol regarded me with partial amusement. They knew what the problem was, of course. Everyone knew that Callings made the Companion in question edgy. But....they couldn't know how I was feeling. Not REALLY.... 

:What are you two doing here, anyway?: 

There was a long silence, and suddenly I found myself eyeing them suspiciously. 

What was with the hesitation? 

They shouldn't have been so quiet.... 

:Guys?: I demanded, :what's going on-?!: 

:So....what did Gwena and Rolan have to say?: 

:They had to talk to Elspeth and Darkwind.: I replied shortly. That question had been meant to distract me, that much was obvious. But what could they have been planning....or scheming, whichever. Flicking my forelock out of my eyes, I glanced back at Micca; he was cinching my saddle. :Lani, I know you've got something planned. Just tell me what it is already.: 

:.....: 

:Lani!: 

:.....: She was avoiding my stare. 

:....Lani?: I tilted my head to the side to look at her more closely. :Seriously, what is it?: 

:We're going with you.: 

:WHAT?!: My eyes bulged and I whirled, my eyes landing on Meriol, who had spoken. Behind me, Micca cursed softly at my sudden movement. I twitched, having to restrain myself from bursting from the stall and running Lani and Meriol down. Going with me? What the hell?! I took a handful of breaths and settled myself down so that Micca could finish. :What do you mean 'going with me'?: I grated. :It's MY Choosing Journey. WHY would you be going?: 

More hesitation. 

:....look, Sera, we're worried about you.: 

:Huh?: 

Worried? Why would they be worried about me? Sure, Choosing Journeys could be dangerous, but all Companions went eventually....so what would be so different about MY going? ....Gwena and Rolan had been worried....and Elspeth and Darkwind had been concerned....but they knew about my wings, so.... 

Lani and Meriol COULDN'T know! 

:Worried?: 

:Of course.: Lani sighed. 

:Sera, you're going to Karse.: Meriol added. :We're your friends. How could we NOT be worried?: 

Going to Karse.... 

Wait, I hadn't told them I was going to Karse! 

:How do you know where I'm going?: 

:Well....: Lani winced mentally; :we might have had a talk....okay, so Gwena came and told us. Sera, we weren't supposed to tell you she had! PLEASE don't let her know-: 

:But why did she tell you?: I must have sounded confused, because Meriol chuckled. It wasn't all that funny, really. I mean, after they had made sure no one else was around when they talked to me, why would Gwena have gone and-? 

"There you go, Lady!" 

Micca's voice interrupted my thoughts and I turned my head to look at him. The boy was standing to the side, arms crossed, looking very accomplished. He was done? I craned my neck to regard my new tack. 

The whole outfit was in silver with blue trim; Valdemar's colors. The saddle's silver plating had flower and vine designs engraved in it, along with my own name. The saddle BLANKET was blue and had Valdemar's crest embroidered on it. The bridle and reins were adorned with little silver bells what rang happily when I moved my head, and all the tack, having never been used, shone brightly. 

"Now you don't have to thank me." Micca grinned, "I'm more than happy to help. Besides," he added with a wink; "I can tell you're in a hurry. Go on then," a general wave in the direction of the door. "If you WANTED to thank me, though, you could bring back a girlfriend for me." 

Despite the seriousness of my Calling, I had to laugh. He was taking my short temper in stride, I had to admit. And he seemed to be a nice enough boy. I felt badly for being to impatient while he worked. He deserved to be thanked....but a girlfriend? He had to be kidding. Of course me was.... 

:I think not,: I told him, breaking the Silence and making him blink in surprise. :But thank you anyway.: 

"Well!" His face broke into a huge smile, "that was unexpected! You're quite welcome, Lady, and good luck on your Journey!" 

I didn't say anything more, of course. I shouldn't have said anything in the first place, but he had been so patient....heaving a sigh, I paced out of the stall and toward where Lani and Meriol were staring at me like I'd grown an extra tail. 

Companions simply DIDN'T Speak with humans other than their Chosen.... 

....ah, but I had already broken the Silence to Speak to Elspeth and Darkwind, so.... 

:Sera....: 

:Got a problem, Meriol?: I waited for them to get out of the way and then brushed past and into the stable yard. They followed quickly behind, both radiating confusion. It was quite amusing, if I do say so. :What would people say if I didn't thank the poor boy after being so impatient with him?: 

:But....but you....: 

:I Spoke with him. So?: 

Another long silence. It was annoying. So I Spoke? So what? There were other- and might I add much more important- things to deal with. I shook my head, making my bridle bells ring, and spun to glare at them both. 

:Would you just tell me what Gwena said, already?: 

:But....Sera you....what about the Silence?: 

:Damn it! Focus! I don't have TIME for this! WHAT DID GWENA SAY?: 

Lani flinched at the tone in my Voice. :Gwena was the one who suggested we go with you. She's as worried about your Journey as we are....and she's the one who said you were going into Karse. It's not that no one trusts you, Sera, it's just that we're all concerned for you. Going into Karse is dangerous for a Companion! You shouldn't do it alone.: 

:Besides,: Meriol put in with a mental 'wink'; :Karse is pretty far away, and we know you'd be lonely if you were by yourself for all that time.: 

:Bite me.: 

-and then I jumped in shock when Meriol's teeth nipped my flank. 

He had actually BITTEN me? 

Oh come on! 

I glared at him and growled; :....Meriol....: 

A chuckle. :You told me to.: 

:Jackass.: 

:Now I'm hurt.: 

:No you're not.: I replied angrily. The normally amusing interplay between us was NOT making me happy. On the contrary, it was royally pissing me off. Why couldn't Gwena have just kept her mouth shut? Okay, so Companions don't use their mouths to Talk, so what? If she hadn't said anything to Lani and Meriol, I could have been halfway to Karse already! 

I was exaggerating and I knew it. 

There was no way I could have made it even CLOSE to halfway to the Karsian border. In fact, I probably would have been just outside of Haven if I was lucky. Lani and Meriol weren't really keeping me back by much....but I NEEDED to go.... 

:Fine.: I grated, :if you're going to come along, get ready. I'll wait for five minutes and then I'm leaving so you'd better hurry.: 

Both of them blinked at me in surprise. They probably hadn't expected me to agree. But I knew them too well. Even if I'd said 'no', they would have followed me anyway. This was I was just saving myself a pounding headache. 

:Well? Move!: 

:Whoa, look who's being pushy.: Meriol observed with chuckle. 

:Since when are you so authoritative, Sera?: Lani's eyelashes batted 'innocently' but a second later she sighed. :Okay, okay. C'mon Meriol, let's get tacked up.: A mental grin, :you know Sera, this could be fun! You and me on the road, just us girls-: 

:-hey!: Meriol snapped, flicking his tail to slap Lani's side, :I'm here too, you know.: 

:Uh-huh.: Lani agreed, turning to go. :Like I said- just us girls.: 

:Ouch. That hurts. If I were any less of a stallion I'd be insulted.: 

:If you were any less of a stallion you'd be a mare.: 

:I hate you.: 

:No you don't.: 

Their friendly bickering was enough to make me giggle a little, concerned as I was for the Soul I was Feeling, and as I wandered away I couldn't help but be- at least a LITTLE bit- happy that they would be coming with me. But at the same time....three 'Demon' horses walking into Karse? It had sounded bad enough when we had been talking about ONE, but three might have been.... 

'Bad' would have been an understatement. 'Bad' was the word that everyone had been using to describe the reaction I was probably going to see (in the border towns, anyway) with just me. 'Bad' was NOT enough to describe the reaction that the three of us were probably going to get. 

Which meant that I would have to get rid of them before we got to the border. 

How am I supposed to ditch them? 

But then, Lani and Meriol- good friends as they were- were also very intelligent Companions. They would know the dangers. They DID know the dangers, or they wouldn't be so concerned for me. If I talked to them about it, they would understand....wouldn't they? 

I sighed. 

Whether they understood or not was irrelevant if they decided to come into Karse with me. 

There was no way I could stop them.... 

....and what was taking them so long? 

If they were still fighting instead of getting ready, so help me God.... 

They KNOW I need to go! Gods, sometimes I wonder why- of all the Companions in the Field- THEY are the ones I ended up friends with. I heaved a sigh and the band around my stomach added pressure at my inhalation, reminding me of the tack I was wearing. It was going to take a little getting used to.... -but I don't think I could have survived this long without them. Lani and Meriol- bless their stupid hides- are the reason I've managed to....if they hadn't been around.... 

My mind seemed to be avoiding that particular train of thought, but even though I couldn't directly finish the thought, I knew exactly how it should have ended. Because of my wings, I had been isolated from the others....with the exception of Mother, who protected me from outside influences, Gwena and Rolan who taught me and kept an eye on me....and Lani, who was too stubborn and friendly to be kept away when I tried to brush her off. And then when she found out about my....thing....for Meriol she couldn't keep herself from inviting him to hand around with us.... 

....and so the three of us were the closest circle of friends possible. 

If it hadn't been for them, I might not have made it through. I had been so lonely until Lani and Meriol. 

It hurt to think about it. 

:Ha, Sera! Want to see something funny?: 

:Huh?: I was a little surprised when Lani's voice suddenly sounded. I hadn't seen them coming back. I turned quickly to look at them- and had to laugh. What was it about them that could always make me giggle? :Meriol, what are you doing?: 

:Hm? I'm trying to- damn it!: 

I giggled again. 

Somehow, he'd managed to get the rein on his bride caught around his ears. 

I watched him shake his head, trying to dislodge it. 

Just seeing him doing something so incredibly silly made my worrying less, and I knew that having them come along- if doing nothing else for me- would keep me sane. With Lani and Meriol around, I would never go into a panic....never let my concern for that Soul overcome me.... 

Thank the Gods for good friends. 

:Meriol,: a managed through my mental giggles, :....by the Bright Lady....how did you manage....to get your rein....tangled in your ears....?: 

Meriol looked at me through sad eyes. :I tossed my head. Micca tacked me and Lani up in record time and when we got outside I wanted to re-settle the bridle.: He told me mournfully, :I only tossed my head and now I'm stuck!: 

:Stuck....: Lani mused, :the story of your life?: 

:Shut up, Lani.: 

:Look, Meriol,: I sighed, :if I get you unstuck, can we get going please?: 

Meriol nodded his head emphatically, making his mane flop around and I sighed. Sometimes he was just too much....mentally shaking my head, I wandered over and craned my neck. Then I locked my teeth onto the tiny strap of leather and tugged. 

:Tilt your head, Meriol. Sera, tug to the left. No, no, not THAT left-: 

:Lani!: I snapped, still pulling on the rein, :either help or shut up!: 

:I AM helping.: Lani informed me, :I'm supervising.: 

:Lani, I'm going to KILL you!: 

:Do Companions kill?: 

:I'll make an exception!: 

:Ow, ow!: Meriol whined. 

I had been pulling too roughly while I talked with Lani and when Meriol's Voice yelped in pain I eased off a bit. :Meriol, this isn't working. Try tipping your head to the side and pulling back while I tug on it- yeah, like that.: 

Meriol tilted his head and stepped back, and I pulled at the same time. 

And the rein fell free of his ears to rest on his neck where it was supposed to. 

:Ouch. That huuuurt.: He flicked his ears, :I think it pulled part of my mane out, too.: 

:Baby.: 

:Leave me alone, Lani. You didn't even try to help.: His eyes landed on me and he 'smiled'; :thank you very much, Sera! May the Gods bless and keep you!: 

I sighed, almost laughing. But the urgency of my Calling was back at me again.... 

:Can we go now? I hate to rush you and all, but it's kind of important.: 

:Yeah, yeah.: Meriol agreed, :let's get moving!: 

Lani agreed. :And we're off. It's going to be fun seeing something other than the Palace and the Field for a change.: 

I agreed with her, I really did, but I wasn't looking forward to the trip as much as she and Meriol were. But I had a much different reason to go than they did, and a much more serious one at that. Actually I was concerned for them. Did they really know what they were getting into? I could only hope.... 

:Alright, let's go.: I started forward, my hooves ringing on the cobblestone, and they followed quickly behind. Their Mindvoices happily bickered as they walked; was it just me or were they taking things to lightly? :Let's go.: I repeated, then had to add; :FINALLY!: 


	7. Blue In The Dark

As always, I don't have any claim on Valdemar, Heralds or anything relating to them. They belong to Mercedes Lackey, who was kind enough to grace our world with her stories, for which I'm grateful. ^_^ I guess I half a sort-of claim on any original characters, though, so if you want to borrow them for any reason please ask first. 

Sorry this chapter is so short. ^.^;; And I know that some people are getting impatient with me, but this is the kind of story I just can't rush. It's probably going to be the next chapter or two when Sera manages to find her Chosen. Sorry! Please have patience with me! 

Oh! A note for Alannapurple: 'Seraphim' isn't so much another word for 'angel' as the term for a TYPE of angel. I can't give you much more information than that, since I know very little about the subject. ^.^;; All I know is that Seraphim, Cherubim and Principalities are all types of angels (there are tons more, I'm sure). I chose 'Seraphim' as the name of my main character because I thought it suited well (with the wings and all). Besides that, 'Principality' doesn't sound like a name, and the shortened form of 'Cherubim' is Cher (which I didn't like) so....there you have it. *shrug*   
  


~Angel Wings~

~Blue In The Dark~

  
  


I had never been so tired in my life. 

Laying down with a heavy sigh, I curled my legs under me and rested my head on the ground, closing my eyes. It had been YEARS since I had actually laid down to sleep, as I preferred standing, but I was so tired I didn't think my legs could support me for the whole night. 

:Who knew Karse was so FAR away.: Lani whined. 

I lifted my head- which felt like it weighed a ton- to look at her. She was standing a ways away, near the stream; we had stopped by a Waystation for the night, even though none of us had Heralds to use the facilities the Station offered. It was just somewhere off of the road where we would be out of sight and could rest without TOO much worry. 

Not that there was much in the world that could take on THREE grown Companions, but still.... 

Even though we had passed a town (although it barely counted as a 'town', with only two streets and a handful of houses sprinkled about the surrounding countryside) only a candlemark ago, the Waystation has seemed out best bet, mostly because- and again, it went with the fact that we had no Heralds- we had no way of asking for shelter. Unless one or more of us wanted to Speak with several people; inkeepers, stablehands and such. 

And none of us were particularly jumping to do that. 

Even though I've already Spoken to that boy Micca. It's best not to continue with bad habits. 

And so we were borrowing a Waystation. 

:It's another country, Lani.: Meriol pointed out, pacing toward her; presumably to get a drink from the bubbling brook, :of course it's going to be far away.: 

Lani turned her head to look at me. :You HAD to be Called to somewhere outside of Valdemar, didn't you?: 

I snorted. :Like I had a choice in the matter?: 

:And you know what the worst part is?: She sighed mentally and wandered over to stand beside me while Meriol parched his thirst and rinsed the road-dust from his mouth. I simply continued to pretend I was a rug. :The worst part is that I was stupid enough to have all this equipment put on, and now I can't get it OFF!: 

:You're the one who insisted on coming with me.: 

:Well....Meriol insisted, too!: 

:Sure,: Meriol groaned, :drag ME into this.: 

Ignoring Lani's complaining, I laid my head back down in the grass and shut my eyes tightly. I was too tired to dredge up the energy to get a drink, even. Companions were supposed to tire less-easily than horses....yes, that was true, but we had been trotting non-stop for a full day and it was getting to me. 

More than horses or not, we were all in need of some rest. 

And that bothered me to no end, as the tugging of the Calling at my heart didn't let up, even in sleep. 

:How far do you think we've gotten?: 

I didn't answer Lani's question in the hopes that Meriol would do it for me. I just wanted to die....or sleep, whichever.... 

:Pretty far, I'd wager.: Meriol said thoughtfully, and I could hear shuffling as he lowered himself to the ground a few feet away from me. Apparently he intended to lie down for the night as well. :It averages three days from Haven to the Karsian border by horse, but that's counting rests and that the horse can't trot the whole way....we've been trotting since dawn, and it's after sundown now. Aside from that, our trot it the equivalent of running to a normal horse-: 

:In Valdemarian, Meriol.: 

:We should reach the border about noon tomorrow, or shortly after. Happy?: 

:I will be once we get there.: 

:Whiner.: 

I sighed heavily, my breath stirring the grass in front of my nose. Another half a day of traveling before I reached the border....and the Bright Lady only knew how long it would be after that before I found the town that Soul was in. I hope I make it in time. 

I was worried, yes, but I had good reason to be. 

All Callings were urgent, I had been told, but somehow mine was....more urgent than normal, I suspected. There was some danger to the Soul I was Feeling, and if I didn't get to them in time....I didn't know what would happen, but I was sure it wouldn't be good. The desperation I had originally anticipated would set in soon, I was sure, and when it did I was afraid I would panic.... 

....and I had Lani and Meriol to worry about. 

Bless them for caring, but if THREE Demon Horses walk into Karse....we're looking at a possible war. 

:Hey Sera?: 

:Hm...?: I asked muzzily, already half-asleep. :What is it, Meriol?: 

:I was thinking-: 

:First time for everything.: Lani cut in, her Voice sounding drowsy. 

Meriol ignored her. :I was thinking that Lani and I shouldn't go into Karse with you.: 

:Huh?: My eyes opened and I turned my head to look at him. I had been thinking that, but I hadn't said anything, and I certainly hadn't expected him to come to the same conclusion I had. :....what?: 

:The relationship between Karse and Valdemar is rocky, still, and a lot of people don't trust us.: He explained worriedly. :I hate to say it, but it isn't a good idea for me and Lani to go with you into Karse. They might think it's an invasion or something. Your chances of NOT getting a crossbow bolt to the chest are better if you're alone.: 

:But- but-: Lani sputtered, wide-awake again. :We're supposed to....I mean we're....: 

:We're supposed to help her.: Meriol agreed. :But it's not helping if we cause a panic and get Sera killed. Do you see what I'm trying to say?: 

I did, obviously, but I was afraid that Lani wouldn't agree. Meriol had always been more logical than she, in any case, and she had always been stubborn....but if worse come to worse and she wanted to follow me across the border, I knew that Meriol had already made up his mind and would keep her back for me. 

One more reason for me to love him to death. 

Lani was staring at Meriol in disbelief. :You're saying we should leave her to go into Karse ALONE?!: 

:Lani,: I interrupted, miffed, :would you PLEASE stop talking about me as if I'm not here? For your information, I agree with Meriol; I've been thinking about that for some time, I just wasn't sure how to bring it up.: 

:Sera-: 

:He's right, Lani! The people of Karse are still suspicious of Companions. They may not panic if a single one shows up in their midst, but I'm nearly one-hundred-percent SURE that they would freak out at three.: 

:But, Sera, Gwena wanted us to-: 

:Think.: Meriol told her. :Did Gwena SAY to go into Karse with her?: 

:Well....no, but-: 

:Then we don't go.: His Mindvoice was firm when he interrupted her, before she could try to tell him it was implied. He had put his hoof down on the subject. :We should all get some sleep, now, I think. We have more to do tomorrow. Sera more than anyone else. Goodnight.: 

And just like that there was silence. Lani's Shields clamped down; she was sulking, and probably shouting at us both in indignation, but we couldn't Hear her, so it didn't matter. She'd be over it by morning. 

I wasn't angry with her. 

Lani was just concerned for me, as was Meriol. 

Even through the seriousness of my current situation, I gave a mental smile. 

What would I do without them? 

I fell asleep with that thought still ringing in my head, tired as I was. I would need as much rest as I could get if we were to make it to Karse by the following afternoon; that was, assuming Meriol's calculations were correct. I was fairly sure that they were, too, but there was no way to know for sure. 

Things change. 

The weather could swing toward a storm. 

Or we could come across a downed tree in the road and have to take another. 

There were any number of situations that could occur and change our plans. 

An astronomical number, really. 

:Sera...?: 

:Hm....: I mumbled something incoherent in my sleep before my mind drifted back into oblivion. 

:Sera?: A nudge to my side and Lani's insistent Voice prodded me awake again. :Come on, Sera, this is important.: 

:Uhh....Lani...?: I cracked my eyes open and turned my head to look at her, my thoughts foggy. A few feet from me, deep and peaceful breathing told me that Meriol was still asleep. How long had we been asleep FOR? By the stars and the moon that hung overhead, it wasn't morning yet....so what was the problem? :Lani?: I repeated louder, a little more awake, :what's going on?: 

:Shh. I don't want you to wake Meriol.: 

:....Lani, what are you talking about?: 

She regarded me from where she was standing, just to the side. Her eyes seemed to be particularly blue....shockingly blue. Something was off, but I couldn't quite place what it was....a strange feeling coming from her....something familiar. 

Eerily familiar. 

:Lani?: 

A short hesitation, then; :that town we passed....: 

:Weygandt?: 

:Yes.: She agreed. :I'm going there.: 

I hadn't expected that, and blinked in surprise. :Um, what for?: 

:For Denny.: 

More confusion. :....who?: 

:Denny.: Lani repeated, :a little boy, Sera.: 

:A little-?: 

:I can see him, you know,: a sigh and her Voice took on a far-away tone; :his hair is brown and his eyes are green....except during the summer, and then they're more blue than anything else. I can Feel him. His mind is so close....: 

A sudden shock jolted through me, almost physical in nature. I was on my feet in the blink of an eye and facing Lani, going over her words in my head. The way she was sounding, and what she was describing....but.... 

I shouldn't have been as surprised as I was. 

She had already warned me that it would be soon. 

:Lani....: I whispered, :your Calling? Is that what you're saying?: 

:Hm....I think, yes.: Her head tilted downward and she seemed to be Feeling for something. :I think.: Looking up at me, she shrugged mentally. :I'm sorry, Sera. I really want to go with you....to make sure that you're alright and everything, but-: 

:No worries,: I chuckled softly. I knew what she was saying, of course; there was no choice in the matter. :Some things are more important, Lani.: I gave her a reassuring 'smile'. :Besides, you already told me you'd be Called soon, right? I've been half-expecting it for a while now.: 

It wasn't a complete lie....I had been expecting it, but I'd been a little preoccupied and it had slipped my mind.... 

:Now,: I continued with a mental wink. :I just don't have to worry about you stupidly following me into Karse when I get there.: 

:Stupidly-?!: Lani demanded indignantly. 

:It WAS a concern.: I chuckled, shaking my head. 

:Sometimes I hate you.: She flicked her forelock out of her eyes and spun on her heel to leave, kicking up several tufts of grass in the process. After a few seconds she paused and turned back. :You lucky nag, now you get to have HIM-: a mental nod toward Meriol, who was still sleeping a few feet away; :-all to yourself. Oh, and in case I forgot to say it before,: she called, trying not to wake Meriol up in the process, :good luck, Sera.: 

:You too, Lani.: 

:Huh.: Blue eyes twinkled merrily, even through the darkness; :thanks. Meet you back in Valdemar, right?: 

:You've got it.: 

:It's a date.: A mental wink and Lani vanished into the shadows of the main road. 

I watched where she had disappeared for a long moment, smiling to myself; I could already see just how happy she would be with Denny....it echoed how happy I would be when I managed to find the Soul I was in search of. 

She was lucky, really.... 

She comes along on MY Journey and just happens to come across her own Chosen? 

I sighed and lowered myself back onto the ground. Whether Lani had left or not, I was still going to need my rest. Though....I was already feeling a sense of relief. Now I just had to worry about Meriol when we got to the border, and that was far easier than worrying about both of them. Mostly because Meriol was smart enough to stay out of trouble, and Lani was.... 

A pain in the rump sometimes, much as I love her. 

The grass brushed my nose when I laid my head down and closed my eyes, but I ignored it. 

I was still exhausted.... 

....and the tug at my Heart was getting stronger by the minute. 

Tomorrow. I promised myself. I'll find that Soul tomorrow. 


	8. A Cry Of Despair

As with every other chapter, the same applies this time- I SOOOOO don't own pretty much anything in this. People, places and the different races of Valdemar (& surrounding countries, etc) belong to Mercedes Lackey. 

....okay, here's the next chapter. Seriously, I know it's been a while, but the only reason this chapter is out now is because of my Dad....see, I have an order in which I work on my stories (to make sure they all get worked on and don't just sit there forever *cough*EternalReflections*cough*. Yeah, so it's my Dad (bakayarou! Heh, heh, just kidding! ^.^;;) who's badgered me into doing a chapter of "Angel Wings" NOW, instead of waiting for it's turn. Happy Dad? :p No bothering me for the next chapter until I've worked on another of my stories! 

Ne, kind of a badly-written chapter. Yeah. Sorry 'bout that....   
  


~Angel Wings~

~A Cry Of Despair~

  
  


I had been both looking forward to and dreading the moment when Meriol woke up for quite some time....I was tired, and I slept deeply after Lani left....but I was still up before the sun was even peeking over the horizon the next morning. And as I waited for Meriol to drag his lazy tail back into the land of the living, I had to be at least a little nervous. Like I said, looking forward to and dreading it at the same time. 

I was going to be alone with him....just the two of us.... 

Which I can handle. 

But at the same time....okay, when he'd gone to sleep, Lani had been with us. When he woke up and she was gone without a trace, I didn't know just HOW he would react. Then again, he wasn't exactly a morning person so he might not even realize she was missing until midday. 

I sighed. 

Anything was possible, really. 

While waiting for him to wake, I satiated the hunger that was gnawing at me; my stomach had been growling since I'd woken. The grass near the Waystation, somehow, tasted just the same as the grass of the Field- sweet and juicy....you might not think of grass that way, but to Companions the taste and texture of the grass we graze on is very important. 

Would you like bitter, grainy pastries? 

I didn't think so. 

Anyway, I was slightly surprised by the taste of the grass where we had stayed for the night; normally, the grass from the Field was above and beyond the normal grasses in Valdemar. Why....well, to be honest I really don't know. It might have something to do with the Grove, or Companion's magic. Maybe the nodes that surround Haven? 

In any case, the 'normal' grasses weren't something we particularly looked forward to. 

I had to wonder how the grass at the Weygandt Station was the way it was.... 

Magic? Spells? Maybe just a good gardener.... 

Not that I'm complaining, I thought to myself. Now, if the grass had been dry and bitter, I might have.... shaking my head, I found- despite the insistent pull at my heart- that my thoughts were drifting to Lani. I hope she's okay.... a weak chuckle; :what am I saying?: I asked myself out loud, :of COURSE she is! She was only going back to Weygandt, so-: 

:Um, Sera?: 

:!!!: I jumped in surprise at Meriol's Voice and had to attempt to calm my heart and catch my breath before responding. He watched, seeming torn between confusion and amusement at my reaction. :Meriol! By the Bright Lady, you SCARED me!: 

:Did I?: He asked innocently, his eye sparkling. 

:You did.: I snorted, somewhat suspiciously. Damn him! He'd MEANT to do it! :Then again, I thought you might have DIED, you slept for so long. You caught me off-guard searching for a suitable plot to bury someone with a head your size.: 

:Was that a remark on the size of my ego?: 

:Well it obviously wasn't about the size of your brain....: 

:Hey!: 

:Grass is cheaper.: I giggled, feeling better because of his....'humor' was pushing the word, but.... :Bright-The-Day, by the way.: Turning, I paced toward the stream to drink. :You should eat so that we can get going. I want to make it to the border by tomorrow morning at the latest, so we have to move.: 

:We should be fine time-wise.: Meriol told me, dipping his head to snatch a mouthful of grass. :It's only a candemark after dawn, so if we only stop once then we'll be there by sundown for sure. Assuming we can keep Lani out of-: he broke off suddenly, realizing something. :Sera....where's Lani?: 

And so came the question I had been dreading. 

:Uh, Lani...?: I swallowed the water that had been in my mouth and looked at him over my shoulder. :So....um, Lani had....somewhere to go....you know, something to do. She left last night, wished me good luck and all....: 

:She LEFT?: 

:Yes?: 

:After all the fuss she made about not going with you into Karse, she just LEFT?: 

:I guess.: 

He shook his head in amazement. :But- but why?: 

:Okay, look, don't make a big deal about this, alright?: I sighed. What could I do? There was no point in telling him something other than the truth. It wouldn't sound probably anyway, not with him knowing Lani as well as I did. :She woke me up last night to tell me she was going back to Weygandt.: 

:O-o-o-kay. But WHY?: 

He was clearly confused. Ah, but I would have been too. Lani really HAD wanted to go right to the end with me, so there seemed to be no reason for her to have left. Again, things happen....it just happened to be a Calling 'occurrence' that separated us. I had expected SOMETHING to break up our group before Karse, anyway.... 

....from the look on Meriol's face, though, us separating before the border wasn't something that had occurred to him. 

:Sera?: 

:She tells me she was Called last night.: 

A blank stare. :What?: 

:Lani,: I said, slower, :Felt the Calling and went back to Weygandt to find her Chosen.: 

Still staring blankly. :....you're joking, aren't you?: 

:His name is Denny.: 

:Seriously, Sera. Ha, ha, very funny.: 

:Meriol!: He was beginning to tick me off. Snorting in irritation, I walked over to him and nipped his neck, making him twitch. :Listen to me! Lani. Went. Out. Choosing. She's going to take Denny- she told me that's his name- back to Haven. We'll see her there, okay? It's no big deal.: 

:No big....: Meriol's Mindvoice was still soft and surprised. :No big deal? She's....you're....and she's....BOTH OF YOU? By the Gods, I'm the only one left!: He sighed then, and was silent for a long moment. Finally; :it's not fair, you know.: 

Surprise. :What?: 

He looked at me mournfully. :You're on your way to Choose....Lani's on HER way to Choose....and me? I'm along for the ride because I haven't been Called. It's not fair, it's really not.: 

:Whiner.: I shook my head and started toward the main road. :Come on, we should go.: 

He took a moment to catch up with me, and I got the feeling he was staring at me as I calmly paced away. Probably wondering how I could take it all so in-stride....if he knew how I was really feeling at that moment I doubt he would have felt that life was all that unfair. 

Scared....rushed....anxious.... 

Conflicting emotions warred in my heart and mind, and I couldn't make much sense of them; they all stemmed from my Calling, I was sure. And, I was also sure, all would be rectified once I reached the border. 

It was still so far away.... 

Soon. I reminded myself. We'll reach Karse and I'll find that Soul. 

:Sera!: Bridle bells jingling merrily, Meriol trotted up beside me just as I reached the road. I paused for a moment, saying nothing to him, and glanced back the way we had come, thinking of Lani. :You know, she's going to rub it in once I get back.: 

:Rub what in?: 

:The fact that she found and returned with her Chosen before I did.: 

:Ah, I see.: Meriol considered, glancing in the direction that I was looking. :Yup. Probably.: He chuckled, :but that's Lani for you, right? May the Gods help Haven if that Denny boy is like her in any way.: 

:Why?: 

:Well I'm just saying,: he told me as we started walking again; :sometimes we Choose people who're like us....and I repeat- may the Gods help us all if Denny's like Lani. That's ALL we need, hey? TWO of them....: 

I giggled when he shuddered mentally. 

:You're not very nice.: I laughed, :you know as well as I that Lani's a sweetheart.: 

:Yes, and a nutcase.: Meriol agreed good naturedly, :YOU know as well as I do that she's a complete loony.: 

:....true.: I had to concede. :But I think the Heralds could stand to be shaken up once and a while.: 

:Like when Firesong and the Gryphons arrived?: 

:Well....maybe not THAT shaken up....: 

Meriol laughed, shaking his head. Again, the bells jingled, catching my attention; that was one thing that I wished I hadn't had to bring along. The tack that we were both hauling around was beginning to wear on my nerves. I couldn't speak for Meriol, but I was certainly getting tired of it....but then, I had to have it with me for when I found the Soul I was in search of. 

How else will they ride back to Haven? 

I DID feel bad for Meriol, though- he wasn't Searching, and hadn't been Called. He was only wearing the heavy, chafing tack because they may not have allowed him to leave without it. When he presented himself to be tacked up, they assumed he was going out Choosing.... 

And so they let him leave with me. Same with Lani, for that matter....though it turns out she needed it anyway. 

There wasn't much to do as we trotted. We chatted about things for a while- mostly random talking just to keep from going crazy with boredom. The trees and bushes blurred together, finally, and we just ignored the surroundings as we went. 

Once, a family with a wagon and a team of bay horses passed us on the road. The children in the back pointed and giggled, amazed to see Companions; still, we were and are creatures of legend. Things of magic and splendor. 

Both Meriol and I graced them with whinnies and the flicking of our manes, making the bells ring brightly. 

It was obviously a thing they enjoyed, given the simplicity of the gestures. 

Pointing and happy chuckling followed our horse-like greeting, and shortly after that their parents chided and shushed them into respective silence. Magical we were, and to children we were dreams and fantasies, but to their parents we were important. The adults knew that we had a purpose. They knew were important to Valdemar's survival. 

They probably hoped we would Choose one of their younglings as we passed. 

A vain hope, with the tugging at my heart.... 

:Sera, look-: 

:Hm?: 

Meriol tipped his nose forward after the wagon and it's giggling passengers were past, snorting, :a town. Do you suppose that's where they were coming from?: 

:Sure, why not?: I agreed. 

My eyes flitted over the few houses and dusty streets as we trotted into the town; I didn't recognize it at all, but of course I had never been outside of Haven. I also couldn't recall the name from my Geography lessons, which meant that it wasn't a very big place and never had been. It may have even been small enough that it wasn't on the maps at all.... 

Sweetsprings? Maybe....no, no, that's not it. 

I was rather annoyed with myself for not remembering, but eventually I had to push the annoyance to the side as unimportant. 

:Amusing, isn't it?: 

I didn't have to ask what Meriol was talking about; most of the town had emerged from their houses to line the street as we passed. As with the family on the road, they were drawn to our magic; children and their parents, as well as the elderly. They were all alike in their awe. 

It was funny, mostly because WE knew how un-special we really were. 

"Mama!" One little boy called brightly, "those are Companions, aren't they?" 

"Shush," his mother- a portly woman with mouse brown hair- hushed him. "Of course they're Companions, what horses have you ever seen with blue eyes? But they're Searching right now, so don't bother them." 

"But-" 

The child's whining made Meriol chuckle. :One moment, Sera?: 

I sighed. :I suppose....but HURRY, okay?: 

:Sure.: Flicking his tail, Meriol paused by the side of the street, relatively near the boy and his mother, and nibbled at some grass that was growing from between the cobblestones. Then, listing his gaze, he bobbed his head in greeting, smiling at the Little with his eyes. :See, Sera? I just want to say hello without Saying anything. That way no one will think that I Chose him.: 

:You're an idiot.: 

:Thanks for that.: 

:Welcome.: 

"Mama, can I touch it?" 

The woman looked pensively toward Meriol, who simply nodded his head once again. "Well, if it's alright with the Master Companion and his Lady, there, I don't suppose there's any harm in it." 

His Lady? I thought. :Your Lady?: 

:My Lady?: Meriol chuckled, :what an....interesting....idea.: 

My hide twitched. Of all the things to say.... 

"Really, Mama?" The boy squealed, "really?" Then, looking to Meriol; "Sir, can I?" 

Snorting, Meriol reached with his nose as the boy approached and nudged his shoulder amiably. There was a stifled gasp from the people on the street, but the boy giggled excitedly and patted Meriol's nose. 

"Good horsey!" 

:Horsey....: I snickered. :You hear that, Meriol?: 

:Shut up.: 

"Mama! Look!" The boy shouted happily; "look!" 

"Very nice, dear, but don't delay them any longer." 

"Aw, but-" 

"Relin!" His mother sighed, "they have places to be." 

The boy pouted in defeat and patted Meriol once more. "Mama says I gotta' let you go, now. Bye, Master Companion!" 

Meriol lipped him. :I like him, Sera! Can I keep him?: 

:He's not a puppy, Meriol.: I groaned, :so either Choose him or send him on his way.: 

The mental pout that Meriol gave me echoed the boy's in every sense of the word, but he nodded. :You know I can't just Choose ANYONE, so I guess he stays here. That's too bad. I could have liked being called 'Master Companion' or 'Sir'.: 

:He wouldn't have called you that if you were Bonded.: I pointed out, beginning to walk again, and not waiting for him to catch up. 

He would be along in a moment, I knew. Meriol was such a softy when it came to Littles.... 

:Meriol, are you coming or n-: 

::BY THE SON, NO!:: 

I jumped, shocked at the shriek in my mind, and my steps faltered. A few yards down the cobblestone street, Meriol's head jerked up and his eyes landed on me- he'd heard the mental shout, too, it seemed. 

::PLEASE! HELP! PLEASE, SOMEONE-! PLEASE HELP ME!:: 

And I knew, by the Bright Goddess, I KNEW the voice....it was the Soul I was in search for....I KNEW....panic gripped my heart in an instant. I threw my head up, flaring my nostrils, my eyes rolling....I must have looked crazed to those who were watching.... 

::PLEASE! YOU CAN'T DO THIS! SOMEONE! ANYONE!:: 

:Sera?: Meriol's voice called, trying to reach me over the hysteria of the Voice we were both Hearing. :Sera, what-?: 

I couldn't respond. The hysterics of the Soul I was Feeling were getting to me. 

As I had feared, the urgency of my Calling had turned to desperation.... 

....and it had happened in a heartbeat. 

::NO, NO! PLEASE, NO!:: 

I was going. 

Then. 

Right then. 

:Sera!: 

I ignored Meriol again and broke into a gallop, racing from the town as fast as I could. Behind me, I could hear Meriol scrambling to catch up. He was frightened, the same as I, but he had no purpose behind him running, other than to make sure I was alright. 

::-PLEASE, YOU CAN'T! I DIDN'T MEAN IT! I'M SORRY! PLEASE, PLEASE-:: 

:I'm coming!: I screamed mentally, my Voice echoing down the vague mental corridor. :Just wait for me, I'm coming! I'm on my way-: 

I'd never run so fast in my life. 


	9. Fine Feathers Open

Wow! I got a whole ton of reviews for the last chapter....I was kinda' surprised, actually; huh. Normally I get six or so for each chapter but I got something like twelve or thirteen last time....guess it was a bad place to ends it? Yeah. K, I'm rambling.... ^.^;; I don't own Heralds, Valdemar, Companions (etc) they all belong to Mercedes Lackey. Any original characters are my own creation, but in personality only, see? 

A little short, this chapter, and again, I'm not completely pleased with it. Ah, well. I wanted to apologize for it taking so long to get this chapter out. We had a little crisis at home and I had to get past that before I could really work on my fics again. Well, I'm back! ^_^ Thanks for being so patient! 

Oi! Make sure to READ THE NOTES AT THE BEGINNING OF THE NEXT CHAPTER! THEY'RE VERY IMPORTANT! (Seriously!) Thanks muchly, and until next time, my fine readers!   
  


~Angel Wings~

~Fine Feathers Open~

  
  


I was just a blur of white, silver and blue as I raced toward the Karsian border. Behind me, I could hear Meriol's hoof beats on the hard-packed dirt of the road; he was trying to catch up to me, running all-out. A Companion is fast, yes, much faster than a horse could ever be, but Meriol's attempts to catch up to me were in vain. He was running out of worry for me....but I was running out of desperation. Out of a driving NEED that was screaming in my heart and soul, and the continuing pleading of the Soul, in my Mind- 

::Oh, please....PLEASE....:: 

The once-shrieking mindvoice had dulled down to a vague pleading, though the flavor of fear hadn't lessened any. Colored bright with panic, there was also a sense of acceptance, as if he or she who owned the Voice was accepting blame for whatever terrible fate awaited them. The same fate they had been- and continued to be- protesting against, even now so feebly? 

:Just wait for me-: I whispered back to the Soul, broadSending in the hopes that they would Hear and understand that I was on my way. I ignored the fact that Meriol had certainly Heard me as well. That didn't matter right now. All that mattered was reaching the border before it was too late.... 

Meriol had calculated that we were just under a day's travel to the border- several candlemarks at least- and I had managed to cover most of the distance within what almost seemed like only a handful of breaths. More time had passed than that, I was sure, but I had no way of knowing. 

And I had no plan. 

I was racing as if my tail was on fire toward the border of a not-quite friendly country. And I was doing so with no plan as to how I was going to sneak myself- being a white bleached horse with blue eyes and decked out in nearly thirty jangling bells- ACROSS that same border and find the Soul I was Searching for without being marked as a 'demon' and sighted for death. 

And Meriol.... 

I got the feeling now, though it was a trivial thought as I was half-dragged into the fear and panic of that Soul, that Meriol wasn't intending to leave me at the border as he had originally planned. 

He was far too concerned for me- the dear that he was- to just leave me in my current state, I gathered. 

And so I was presented with an even more problematic situation. 

How was I going to sneak TWO white bleached (okay, so it was actually MAGIC as opposed to bleach) horses who, together, carried a total of something like sixty loud and attention-grabbing bells, into Karse without getting us both killed? I knew a single Companion had managed it at least once before....so it WAS possible, but still.... 

:Sera, come on, think for a second-: 

Think? Not likely. I was beyond thinking, beyond reason, beyond hearing Meriol's half-pleading thoughts, and approaching the border at breakneck speed. Ignoring Meriol, I concentrated on driving my legs even faster. 

My breath was coming fast now and a thin sheen of sweat was beginning to cover my heaving sides. Normally a Companion has to run for at least a day before he or she begins to get out of breath or sweat....but I got the feeling that I was racing faster than most Companions would even consider.... 

::I- I didn't mean....I really didn't....please....:: 

The Mindvoice....soft now, pleading for- 

-pleading for what? I didn't know for sure, but I got a terrible feeling that the answer would be 'life'. There was something terrible about to happen to- to MY Chosen and there was- nothing- I could do....unless I ran....unless I got there on time. 

:Sera!: 

We were coming up upon the border guards, both ours and those of Karse. The blue uniforms of the Valdemarian Guard were distinguishable against the background of evergreen and seasonal trees. And mixed in with the blue were two of the shining white uniforms, pristine, of the Heralds. 

Heralds? Why would there be-? 

Of course there would be Heralds there. There had been Heralds stationed on the border between Valdemar and Karse for centuries, watchful for attacks and so forth. Now, ahead of me, their Companions were the first to turn, hearing us before the ears of their Bonded could catch our approach. 

:Now what do you suppose...?: 

:They certainly are in a hurry.: 

:Heyla, young ones, why the rush?: 

One of them I didn't know, but the other I recognized as a Companion- Hanner- who was only a year my senior. Ignoring both of them as they attempted to catch my attention, I could only hope that they would be intelligent enough to warn their Heralds to get everyone out of the way. 

:Sera, come on! You going to-: Meriol again, but he broke off and gave up on getting through to be before completing his sentence. :Hanner! Bram! Get out of our way! Sera won't stop just because you're standing between her and the border-: 

He knew them both? 

I didn't have time to be surprised. Lowering my head, I glared at the guards who were still standing, dumbfounded, in my way. :Get. Out. Of. My. Way.: Again I had broken the Silence and Spoken....shouting my order to all of those present, Herald and guard alike. 

A surprised blink was followed by the shocked guards scrambling out of the way as I continued to bear down on them. 

:Hey-! Meriol, what-?: 

One of the Companions. Bram, it seemed, as it wasn't the one that I recognized. He had stepped- with his Herald staring determinedly in my direction- into my path, even as the others were all attempting to escape. 

"Lady," Bram's Chosen said strongly, projecting her thoughts toward me as well as she spoke, "I would suggest stopping before you cross the border and find yourself in unfriendly territory." 

::I'm....sorry....I just....I didn't mean it....please....Im sorry....just don't....:: 

That Voice again.... 

"Lady, if you don't stop-" 

She had good intentions, I know, but it didn't even phase me. I wasn't about to stop when I was so close to the one I was Feeling. Not when the pleas of that Soul were still pulling at me insistently, making my heart ache with fear. 

:Sera, listen to her!: 

:Not going to happen, Meriol!: I told him, speaking for the first time since the call for help had sounded in both of our heads. :I've got to-: I broke off when Bram snorted and stepped into my way, blocking me from my destination. Forced to a stop, I skidded, kicking up dust and bits of dirt in the process. Out of breath from my frantic running, I glared at Bram and his Herald and growled; :I told you before to get out of my way.: 

:And we Heard you, Little One,: Hanner told me from where he was standing, to the side, :but we cannot allow you to simply RUN into Karse without explanation or preparation. We are stationed here to protect the citizens of Valdemar from those in Karse who have yet to accept the peace between our peoples.: 

"Exactly," the Herald who was seated, tall and proud in Hanner's saddle nodded. "And what kind of guards would we be if we let you rush past us and get hurt?" 

I snorted irritably and pawed the ground with a hoof. :Listen! I have to get to- to-: 

:To where?: 

:To....to the Soul....to my Chosen! There's trouble and-: 

"Chosen?" Bram's Herald asked, concerned, then gave a soft smile. "I think I understand now, but still-" 

:I have to-!: They weren't moving! They weren't going to move? I had to get through! 

::....I'm so sorry....you just can't....please....:: 

The Soul.... 

That was it! Narrowing my crystal eyes, I pawed the ground once more and then- without any warning- burst forward, shouldering past Bram and the others, shoving them forcefully out of my way, and launched myself toward the border; it was so close.... 

:Sera, you can't-!: 

My hooves hit the ground across the border just as Meriol called after me, frantically, but I was already in Karse and there was no going back. With barely a glance over my shoulder, I thundered forward, toward the surrounding Karsian guards- 

-and caught my ankles on something. 

Stumbling, I shrieked both mentally and vocally, barely managing to catch myself before I could fall. I steadied myself....but before I could jump ahead again there was a motion to the side- I noticed it in the corner of my eye, but not in time to stop it- and I flinched, shocked, when I felt a rope drop around my neck. 

What-?! 

:Sera! The Karsites!: 

:Wonderful!: I growled sarcastically, rearing angrily; I struck out with my hooves, driving the Karsian guards- who had been converging on me- back a few feet and out of my reach. Unfortunately, the rope they had managed to somehow land around my neck was long enough that they didn't have to let it go. :Damn it!: 

Commotion behind me made it obvious when Meriol attempted to come to my aid, and there was a clamber of Mindvoices, which made me wonder if the others- Bram, Hanner and their Heralds, and possibly even a few of the guards- were trying to stop him. Or were they, too, going to help me? 

Snapping my teeth toward the nearest of the Karsite guards, I neighed shrilly, making them all step back again. Heartened, I kicked out with my hid legs, bucking, and then reared again and flailed my front hooves. 

::There's no....I'm so sorry....I didn't mean....I- I....please, By The Son, forgive me....:: 

Distracted by the sound of my Chosen's far-off pleading, I didn't notice how close they were until a fleeting touch on my shoulder became a throbbing heat....PAIN! Screaming, I jerked back, eyes wide. 

:What the hell was-?: 

:Sera!: Meriol's Voice was frightened, :are you alright?: 

:What-?: 

:I don't-: 

:Magic.: Hanner interrupted, :I can sense it. There must be a Mage nearby....: 

Mages....I'd forgotten about that possibility, probably because Valdemar's Mages were only just returning. Huffing, I backed away from the person who had touched me. Pain still radiated from my shoulder, and the rope was still firmly around my neck, damn it. 

Another pain, this one coming from where the rope was resting against my skin. 

Jerking backward, I danced in place- partially from pain and partially from desperation.... 

....and partially because the touches of pain were causing a reaction beneath my skin that was all too familiar to me. 

No! No! 

I tried to struggle back even more, putting distance between myself and the Karsites, but the rope held me where I was. There was nothing I could do....and where were the others? Meriol and the guards.... 

Another vague pain flared in my neck, coming from the rope. 

My shoulders twinged. 

No! 

Rearing again, I cried out vocally, dragging they who were holding the rope forward a few steps. My hooves pawed desperately at the air in front of me....and the skin of my shoulders shifted, stretching outward as my wings strained to be released- 

:Sera-?!: 

:Bright Lady, no!: I shouted, unconsciously returning to Mindspeech. :Not now, no!: 

:Sera-?!: Meriol sounded frightened, :what's-?: 

:NOT NOW!: 

But try as I might, I couldn't stop it....not this time.... 

-and a shocked gasp ran through all who were present....the Karsites who had been holding onto the rope dropped it like it had become a venomous snake and scrambled backward away from me....Meriol gasped....as my hooves hit the ground with a clang, my control over my wings faltered....and feathers exploded from my hide as my wings stretched up toward the sky, revealed for the first time. 

:Sera....by the Bright Lady, what's happening?: 

I felt bad....but there was no time to explain, and the Karsite guards were still shocked out of action- so I ignored Meriol's gasped question and broke into a frantic gallop, breezing past the speechless guards and thundering down the cobblestone streets of our once-enemy-state, the rope still dangling from my neck and trailing behind me as I ran. Folding my wings back against my sides, I didn't bother to retract them again....it was far too late.... 

Oh, Gods, of all the things to- how could this happen? What am I going to do-?: 

I was so shocked- so upset- that didn't notice for some time that Meriol was behind me again, his own hoof beats echoing against the street beneath us....it seemed that he wasn't going to give up on me just because of a few feathers.... 

A true friend.... 

No time to think about it. 

I pushed my thoughts aside and concentrated on running toward the Feeling in my heart. 


	10. Souls Touch

I don't own Heralds Of Valdemar; all the words, ideas, and most of the characters belong to Mercedes Lackey. ^_^ However, Sera(phim), Lani, Meriol, Celeste & any other original characters that I've created at (c) me, so please ask if you happen to want to use them! Thankies! 

Oh! Important! Read this, ne? I DECIDED TO DIVIDE THIS STORY INTO TWO SECTIONS, AS THERE'S GOING TO BE TWO STORY 'ARCS'- AFTER THIS CHAPTER, SERA'S STORY WILL BE CONTINUED IN "DEVIL, MINE", SO LOOK FOR IT! 

Question, though; should I switch POV for "Devil, Mine" and write from Sera's Chosen's POV, or stick with Sera? I've been thinking about doing that, but I can't decide. Let me know.... 

Dedication: To everyone who's reviewed or emailed, and everyone who's been so supportive throughout this somewhat difficult fanfic (which, of course, isn't over yet! lol) A special thanks to Kierseth, who emailed me recently with a reminder that people WERE still waiting for a new chapter. ^_^;; *hugges* Love you all! 

KEEP READING ABOUT SERA (& co.) IN "DEVIL, MINE"! 

Whoo! New chapter!   
  
  
  


~Angel Wings~

~Souls Touch~

  
  


Second, minutes, hours....it all blurred together as I ran, my hooves flashing. My wings were plastered to my sides, held there by the force of the wind; behind me, I could vaguely hear Meriol's hooves as they clashed against the cobble stones of the Karsite roads. 

He couldn't catch up to me. 

But I was running out of desperation.... 

Really, if I stopped to think about it, I was glad to have him with me. Of course, there was nothing he could do that would help, but his presence was- or would have been, had I not been practically incoherent in my fear- comforting. 

::I didn't mean it....:: 

The Voice....the Soul....what had been a frantic mindcall for help had continued to fade, falling from screaming to pleading and finally to a whisper. I could barely hear her....HER, because as I came closer to her, I was sure that's what my Chosen was....I could barely hear her anymore.... 

:Sera, slow down! Please!: 

:No, Meriol.: 

I ignored him and kept racing, my heart hammering in my chest. I hadn't said more than three words to him since the scream for help from Her, and I knew that we'd have quite a bit to talk about once everything was over. 

But for now.... 

The people I passed, streaking through the Karsian villages, were staring, some with obvious distaste that bordered on hatred. Others stared with shock and amazement. Some with fear, and others with awe. The feeling of the Karsites were mixed, now that they had an alliance with Valdemar, and they didn't know how to react to a Companion, still.... 

:Sera! Where are you going-?: 

I ignored him again. 

I have to hurry! If I don't- 

::No....I don't....I don't want this....please....I....:: 

Wait for me. Just a little longer.... 

::....I'm sorry....I take it back....just don't....don't....:: 

Despite the screaming of the muscles in my legs, I pushed myself to run faster. Behind me, Meriol shouted something incoherent toward me, and I could hear him stumble, trying to step up his pace. 

Companions are fast, yes, but running as fast as we were is trying.... 

Villages after villages, and cities after cities flew past. Trees blurred into a thick line of green. The clouds in the sky were streaked across the blue because I was running so fast. Nothing was relative anymore. 

The feeling in my heart.... 

It was.... 

Stronger.... 

Than before.... 

:HERE!: 

I skidded to a stop, my sides heaving, only to have Meriol nearly run into me from behind. As it was, he barely stopped in time, kicking up stones, and had to turn to the side to avoid slamming headlong into my backside. 

:Sera, what-?: 

:It's here.: My Voice was no more than a whisper, and I barely even realized I'd spoken. I wasn't paying attention. Instead, I was looking around wildly, trying to get my bearings. The Soul I was searching for was close....too close for comfort, and I could Feel that something....something.... 

Whatever was frightening her, it was almost too late. 

:Where are we?: 

A clearing in the middle of nowhere....trees....and.... 

:A temple?: Meriol sounded confused. 

Of course. A temple. And inside was She whom I was looking for. 

Still breathing heavily, I reared slightly and then jumped forward again, thundering toward the front doors of the sacred haven. The Son of the Sun was housed here....this could- most likely WOULD- cause an....incident....but I didn't care. I burst through the doors, shattering the thick wood in every direction. 

Splinters slashed through the skin of my ankles as my hooves connected with the pine, but I hardly noticed. The Voice in my Mind was almost gone now. I could barely Hear Her at all, but now I could rely on my ears as well. 

Crying....weeping.... 

She was in there, I could tell. 

I started forward, trailing hunks of door and leaving a thin line of dripping blood in my wake. 

Behind me, I could hear Meriol's hesitant hoofbeats against the polished wood of the temple floor. 

:Sera, this....is....going to mean trouble.: 

Like I didn't know that? 

Sometimes he was all together aggravating. 

A hundred feet and two left turns. 

It only took me a few seconds to find what I was looking for. 

From the down hall, I stared. 

They were laying bricks into a wall, beyond which Her crying was coming from. 

"I'm....s-sorry! I'm so sorry! I didn't mean it! Please, just....don't do this...." 

:By the Gods!: 

I could only echo the horror in Meriol's Voice. 

They were bricking her in.... 

What could she have possibly done to deserve that? Nothing was so bad that someone....and innocent....a girl who was to be Chosen....NOTHING was bad enough for her to deserve being imprisoned like that! Nothing! 

:You....: I growled, anger rising to a dangerous point inside of me. :You....bastards!: 

:Sera! Wait!: 

My wings flared, loose feathers flying in every direction, and I screamed shrilly. Beyond me, the activity stopped and the priests -- PRIESTS WERE DOING IT! -- turned to look at me in surprise. 

They shouted things at me and each other, in Karsian. 

I only understood half of it. 

The sobbing beyond the wall stopped suddenly. 

I barely registered that fact. 

Meriol was calling after me. 

I ignored him again. I'd apologize later. 

I Broadsent my rage, shocking the priests into speechlessness, and reared, kicking my feet out in front of me. Before they could do anything- before I could even think my actions through- I was tearing down the corridor. 

Now, Companions are not violent by nature. But we'll defend those we are Soul Bound to with out own lives, and despite having not officially Chosen Her, I was willing to do just that. I tore forward, kicking and flailing, and drove the handful of priests back, leaving them to huddle in the corner, too shocked and frightened to do anything. 

I Sent to Her, then; :stand back!: 

The priests were silent and motionless when I turned and lashed out, slamming my rear hooves into the nearly-complete brick wall and shattering it inward in much the same way as I had destroyed the door. 

:Gods! Sera!: 

Meriol again. Who asked him to come along anyway? 

The brick dust cleared and I stepped though the now-doorway, using my nose and the bulk of my body to shove the remaining bricks out of the way. Blinking through the haze I had created, I looked, searching....and my eyes landed on Her, pressed against the back corner. 

White-blonde hair and bright blue eyes, rimmed with red. 

An innocence about her that was almost angelic. 

And dark tear tracks marred her cheeks. 

"What...?" Her voice, though a mere whisper, was musical. She looked at me fearfully, making my heart wrench- she had been through far too much. "What...." pausing again, she swallowed and changed her words. "Who are you?" 

And it was then I knew. 

I KNEW.... 

:My name....is Sera.: I told her, meeting her eyes. Sky blue clashed with cobalt and there was a moment of timelessness. Nothing existed but she and I. Meriol, the priests and the temple were gone. We fell, the both of us, into a never ending love and acceptance, and.... :My name is Sera.: I repeated, my Voice soft, :and I Choose you, Celeste.: 

"Oh...." 

She didn't say anything, but the joy that welled up inside of her told me exactly how she felt. 

I felt the same.... 

:Sera! Come on!: 

Meriol's Voice jerked me back to reality, and I tossed my head up, rolling my eyes to look behind me. A few feet down the hall, Meriol was dancing skittishly, and the priests seemed to have regained some of their composure. We needed to leave. 

:Get up on my back, Chosen.: 

The girl simply stared. 

:Please, Sister, just do as I say. We're leaving this place.: 

Silence, then; "r-really?" 

:Yes. Come.: 

"Alright...." 

Once she was on my back, I had to fight the feeling of overwhelming perfection and concentrate of moving. As I stepped through the former-wall, I cast a scathing glare in the direction of the priests, snorting. 

They, who had been moving, stopped. 

My message was clear. 

But as I walked away, I could hear them whispering under their breaths. 

We were together finally. She and I. 

But still.... 

Meriol summed it up as we broke into a run and raced away from the temple. 

:Sera....Selenay is NOT going to like this.: 

__________   
  


Me: Okie. Um, like I stated before, I'm breaking off from "Angel Wings" and moving on to the second story arc of Sera and Celeste's, in "Devil, Mine." I still have a few plot loopholes to work out, but I'll try to get it up and running ASAP.   
  


You know, looking back, I think I might change some of this. ^^;; There's some MAJOR editing needed.... *sigh, sigh*   
  


Thanks for reading! *huggles again* Ja! 


End file.
